Long Drive
by Aku Blossom
Summary: When a routine experiment goes awry, Twilight finds herself dreaming of another world and a lonely little girl. Just as friendship begins to bloom between them, something evil stirs. Now the only hope for both worlds is the Mane 6 and a forgotten hero.
1. Chapter 1

**Long Drive**

Twilight Sparkle, now studying under Princess Luna to expand her knowledge on Dream Magic, attempts a spell meant to help decipher the dreams of others.

Unfortunately, Twilight underestimates the intricacies involved in dream magic and the spell doesn't quite work as intended.

**Part 1: The Magic of Dreams**

"Of course, as We mentioned previously, it isn't the formula that determines the exact effect of Dream Magic, but the interpretation of the user. We have seen a number of talented unicorns in the past fail to accomplish even the most basic spells simply because they lacked imagination," Princess Luna explained, yet again. Twilight Sparkle nodded, her nose buried in a rather thick book. The Princess sighed and leaned over her recently acquired pupil with an eyebrow craned.

"Twilight Sparkle, hast thou heard a single word We have said? Truly, thou puts far too much weight in the text. This is Dream Magic, Our magic. Surely our words mean something to you?" Twilight glanced up, noticing the subtle, hurt look on the Princess' face. She laughed sheepishly and shut the book with a subtle spark of magic, rising to face the Princess.

"You're right, Luna, I'm really sorry. I just have no experience in this field," Princess Luna giggled and spread her wings proudly.

"But of course, Our magic is one that Our sister never quite grasped. This is why you sought Our aid, correct?" Twilight nodded, a bit embarrassed.

"That's true…" She cleared her throat and joined Princess Luna in staring up at the stars, "So, what you're saying is, the formula isn't as important as how the unicorn interprets the spell?" Princess Luna nodded.

"That is correct. While the formula is necessary for guiding the flow of magic, it is merely a catalyst. Once the spell is active, the effect it takes is determined entirely by the user," Twilight shook her head and sighed. Dream Magic was such a strange class of magic, it was no wonder Princess Celestia had never bothered teaching it. She glanced at Princess Luna, who was casually redirecting the moon's path.

"Alright, well um…what should I try first, then?" Princess Luna took a moment longer to judge her handiwork before nodding in approval and turning to Twilight.

"While We've no doubt you have the natural talent to simply dive in to more complex spells, We feel it would be best if you began with something trivial. This spell," Luna's horn lit up with a starry blue glow, etching an arcane glyph in the air, "Is one that allows the user to record her dreams so that she may review them upon waking. Simple enough, yes?"

Twilight reviewed the glyph. It certainly seemed simple, almost deceptively simple. She wouldn't have been surprised if a foal could utilize the formula. Still, it wasn't about the formula, right? Twilight nodded and closed her eyes. Her horn lit up suddenly with a strong purple glow.

"Not so much force, Twilight Sparkle," Twilight blushed slightly, pulling back her magical energies. The glow softened considerably. Now, it was time for the hard part. _Record my dream…record my dream…_After a moment of concentration, Twilight released the spell with a faint purple pop of light. She opened her eyes and looked around, confused.

"So…that's it?" Princess Luna nodded, wearing a particularly proud smile.

"Yes! Thine execution was quite admirable!" Twilight laughed sheepishly. The spell hadn't been difficult at all, had the Princess really expected her to somehow screw it up? Princess Luna smiled and gazed across the horizon, toward Canterlot. She knit her brow in frustration and sighed, kicking softly at the dirt.

"We are afraid We must dismiss our council for this evening. It seems We are needed in Canterlot. You show much promise, Twilight Sparkle. If…" Luna hesitated, "If it is no trouble, wouldst thou…perhaps…let Us know how the spell worked," Twilight smiled, bowing slightly.

"Of course, Luna, I'll send you a letter first thing in the morning! Well…at least after Spike wakes up," The two giggled and began to go their separate ways. Luna spread her wings and hopped into the air, pausing to glance back at Twilight.

"Twilight Sparkle…" Twilight looked back at the Princess, "…We…Thank you, for this,"

"You're welcome, Luna," Princess Luna, her cheeks a little darker and her smile a little brighter, nodded and took off toward Canterlot. Twilight yawned, picking up her book as she trotted back toward the library. Feeling a little curious, Twilight flipped open the book and glanced through some of the more complicated spells. She was surprised to find that practically every formula was as simple as the one Luna had showed her, with few exceptions.

Before long, she reached the library and climbed the small staircase to her bedroom. She noticed Spike fast asleep in his basket and glanced at the current page in the book.

"A Dream Reading spell…it doesn't look too hard," Twilight hesitated. Luna had warned her that Dream Magic was deceptive in its design. But still, the spell was something a foal in Magic Kindergarten could understand. She was the personal protege of Princess Celestia, and now of Princess Luna.

"Let's see…uh huh…hm, it actually uses a glyph?" Twilight shrugged, etching the glyph in the air next to Spike. The dim purple glow lit up the dark room slightly, causing the baby dragon to groan and roll over.

"Alright, now…focus," Twilight's horn lit up. As it did, the glyph also grew brighter, channeling Twilight's focus. As Twilight tightened her concentration, the glyph lit up and vanished in a small pop of light. She opened her eyes and looked around in confusion.

"That wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" Twilight read through the formula again, squinting to get a better look in the dark, "Huh…maybe I'm not ready for something that advanced. Well, I guess I'll just have to ask you about you dreams, huh, Spike?" Twilight giggled quietly and stowed the textbook away, climbing into bed. Almost instantly, a sudden, powerful fatigue hit her, so suddenly, Twilight could barely struggle to keep her eyes open.

With a soft yawn, her head hit the pillow and she slipped into an instant, deep sleep.

XxXxX

_What…what is that?  
_

Twilight glanced around dizzily, trying to find the source of the sound. There was somepony nearby, speaking? No…no, she was crying

_Where are you? Where am I?_

Twilight galloped through her hazy surroundings, drawing closer and closer to the soft voice. She peered through the fog and noticed somepony.

"Hello?" She called out. The other…thing? It wasn't a pony, that was for sure. It turned to face her. Twilight caught sight of a pair of eyes. Even through the fog, she could see they were bright pink.

"Who's there?" She, the creature sounded feminine, called back. Twilight paused, suddenly nervous. What was this creature? For that matter, where were they?

"My name is Twilight Sparkle, what's your name?" The creature slowly climbed to its feet, taking a step back through the fog. It stood on two nubby legs and held up two nubby arms defensively.

"My name…I'm," The fog grew thicker. Twilight gasped and took a few nervous steps closer. The creature shook her head and took a step toward Twilight. "My name is Blossom,"

_Blossom?_

The fog started to grow thicker, but Twilight took another step toward Blossom and it began to fade. Finally, she got a good look at the other creature. Her pink dress was torn and frayed. Her skin was dirty and smudged.

"Where are we?" Twilight asked, looking around again. Blossom let her hands fall to her sides, confusion etched on her face.

"You don't know?"

_Should I know?_

The fog began to grow thicker. Twilight's eyes suddenly felt heavy and there was a sensation like a hook grabbing onto her chest and pulling her back. She noticed that Blossom seemed distressed as well. She tried saying something, but the fog was so thick, it ate up her words before they reached the unicorn.

"Wait! Don't go!"

_Where are we? Who are you? Should…I know?_

The fog became a full black curtain, one that was suddenly peeled away by an explosive shower of light. Twilight gasped as, finally, she was pulled out of the light.

XxXxX

"Ah!" Twilight sat up, sweating and out of breath. Sunlight poured in through her window. At the foot of her bed, Spike grumbled and rolled over in his basket. Twilight blinked and stared down at her pillow.

"It was…a dream?"

_**To be continued**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Long Drive (Part 2)**

Twilight wakes up from a strange dream, trying to understand how her spell went wrong. Just who was that creature, and why can't Twilight get the image of her eyes out of her head?

At first, Twilight decides to write to Princess Luna and seek her council on the matter, but on second thought, she begins to worry. How would Luna react to her overconfidence? And what if she's over-thinking something that really was just a dream?

**Part 2: What is a Dream?**

"Oh colt, what am I going to do?" Twilight moaned, burying her head back in her pillow. The sun was already rising into the morning sky, Spike was even starting to stir. And now, it was going on three hours since she woke, at an early hour, oddly enough, considering how late her bed time had been. The librarian rolled over onto her back and sighed, clutching her pillow to her chest.

"I should just tell her. I just need to come out and say 'Princess Luna, I know you warned me about underestimating your magic, but…' no, I can't…" Twilight trailed off. That was the biggest problem of all. Dream Magic was Princess Luna's magic. By underestimating it, Twilight had underestimated the Princess herself. It was…such an insult. Spike groaned and sat up in his basket, yawning.

"Morning Twilight…you're still in bed?" he asked. Twilight smiled and quickly hopped up.

"Yeah, it was kind of a late night," Spike nodded, shuffling toward the bathroom, still yawning.

"I bet, how was your first lesson with Princess Luna?" Twilight stopped and thought back to it, smiling fondly. To be honest, the lesson itself had gone very well. Princess Luna could barely contain how excited she was to have a student and Twilight, well, Twilight couldn't deny that the Princess had a wealth of untapped knowledge.

_I'm a horrible pony, I broke her trust_

Twilight sighed and lowered her head. She needed to be honest with the Princess, lying would only risk hurting their friendship. She always tried to be honest with Princess Celestia, right?

_Well, except for the parasprites, Philomena, that time with Smarty Pants…_

Twilight groaned. She was a terrible student.

"So how was it? Twilight?" The baby dragon tugging on her tail broke Twilight out of her self-loathing for a moment. She gave Spike a big smile and a nod.

"It was great! Princess Luna is a fantastic teacher. Dream Magic is just…so weird…" Everything went fine other than that one spell.

Wait! That was it!

Twilight perked up and cantered back into the bedroom, poking through her new textbook. The Dream Record spell! Maybe if she reviewed her dream, she could figure out just what had happened.

"Weird? Like, zebra magic weird, or what?" Twilight laughed uneasily and quickly cast a recollection spell, solidifying her recorded dream into a glyph.

"Not exactly…the way Princess Luna explained it, it's not a field of magic you can just throw a textbook at and understand it. It's more about…imagination," Spike regarded the glyph in confusion.

"Yeah? That must be really hard for you then!" Twilight stuck her tongue out, earning a giggle from the dragon, "I'm gonna make breakfast, do you want anything, Twi?"

"Just something light, Spike, thank you!" When he was gone, Twilight closed her eyes. Her horn lit up and a surge of magic peered into the glyph, filling her mind's eye with the contents: last night's dream.

_A foggy plane, a distant voice. I wandered for a while and then found that…was she a filly if she wasn't a pony? She said her name was Blossom and seemed as confused as I was. She knew it was a dream, how did she know that? Then…suddenly I was pulled away from her, the fog got thicker and I woke up._

"So strange…nothing really happened, but…I can't help but feel like it was different somehow. Almost like…she was real," That thought fluttered around Twilight's head for the remainder of the morning. Breakfast came and went half-eaten and her bath lasted longer than usual; by the time Twilight was ready to start the day, Spike had become well aware something was occupying his friend's thoughts.

"So…um, what's the plan for the day, Twi?" Twilight blinked and snapped out of her thoughts.

"A letter to the Princess! I completely forgot!" Spike beamed, grabbing the nearest quill and parchment. Twilight began to pace the lobby of the library, muttering under her breath.

"Okay, you just need to tell her the truth. Oh, but what if she's disappointed? No, no! She'll be more disappointed if you lie to her! Uh…maybe it was just a regular dream…alright!" Twilight cleared her throat.

"Spike, take a letter," Spike cocked his head and cleared his throat.

"I'm way ahead of you, Twilight," Twilight blushed and nodded.

"Of course, and that's why you're my number one assistant! Alright, Dear Princess Luna," Twilight immediately froze, sinking to the floor.

_Just tell her about the dream_

"I'm writing to inform you that the spell was a success! My dream was recorded with perfect clarity and was easily viewed with the proper recall spell. In my dream…I was lost in this fog and I met somepony I'd never seen before. Almost as soon as we introduced ourselves, the dream was over…does this seem odd to you? Or am I just over-thinking this? I eagerly await your response, and our lesson tomorrow night! Your…Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle," Twilight folded her ears back, feeling guilty. It was for the best; it would make Luna happy, right?

Spike folded up the letter and sent it on its way. The baby dragon put a claw on Twilight's shoulder, snapping her out of yet another daydream.

"Twilight, are you going to be alright? You've been acting weird all day," Twilight stared at Spike for a few minutes, then smiled and nodded.

"Oh you know me, Spike. I always worry too much about homework," The two laughed and the topic faded away as they set about their day. A trip to the market, visiting the Apple family stand, stopping in to see Rarity's latest design, even running into Fluttershy for lunch around midday.

"So how did your lesson with Princess Luna go, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, after they'd placed their orders. Twilight smiled recounting the night before.

"Princess Luna's insight on magic…it's so different from everypony else. I'm not surprised Dream Magic has been an elusive, widely misunderstood field in her absence," Twilight explained, an admiring glow on her face.

"Oh my…magic that uses your imagination…it sounds so…" Fluttershy smiled, "Nice," Twilight nodded, it was nice. It was also revolutionary and it was brilliant, but it was nice.

"So, did it work?" Twilight's mood suddenly shifted, her thoughts drifting to her pink eyes, her soft voice. The smudges on her skin…her tattered, dirty dress. Twilight blinked, realizing that she was staring at her empty plate.

"Twilight? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to make you mad…" Twilight snapped out her daze.

"What? No! No, I'm not angry, Fluttershy. The spell worked…it worked very well. I just…have you ever had a dream that, once you woke up, you couldn't believe it was just a dream? Like, that maybe it was something more?" Fluttershy nodded, sitting up a bit more confidently. She had nearly gone under the table when Twilight zoned out.

"Well, um…that is…yes. Sometimes, I mean, I'm not an expert or anything…but…sometimes I think…yes,"

"Have you ever had one? A dream that seemed too real?" Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her mane, nodding. Twilight was suddenly curious, "Really? What was it?" A nervous squeak was her only response.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Fluttershy. That was rude of me," Fluttershy peeked out from her mane, still blushing.

"It's…okay, Twilight," Her voice was just above a whisper. Twilight assumed the subject was dropped…that is, until Fluttershy began to speak again, "It was a dream I had just before I met Angel Bunny…I dreamed that I was walking through the Everfree Forest. I don't know why, but I felt like somepony needed me. That's…when I saw this giant monster and this tiny little critter. I woke up scared after that, but…" Fluttershy looked back toward her cottage.

"I went to the Everfree Forest, and I found this baby bunny, hiding under his mommy…something must have…hurt her…" Twilight was in awe.

"That's how you and Angel met?" Fluttershy nodded. A dream that somehow led Fluttershy to finding her pet bunny. Maybe, it wasn't just a dream, then? Twilight rubbed her head, becoming increasingly confused and intrigued.

"Interesting…" She muttered.

Fluttershy hesitated a moment, but then asked, "Did you have a dream like that, Twilight?"

"I…may have…"

The rest of the day went on without a hitch. Twilight and Spike cleaned up the library, had dinner, lounged in the lobby while Twilight read a book, a typical evening. But, in the back of Twilight's mind, she was puzzling over Fluttershy's story.

"Spike," Twilight stood up, glancing at the moon hanging outside the window, "Take a letter," Confused, but compliant, Spike found some parchment and a quill.

"Ready, Twilight," Twilight nodded and took a deep breath.

"Dear Princess Luna…" Twilight's eyes suddenly felt very, very heavy. She fought off fatigue and tried to phrase her question properly, "What is a dream? Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle," With that, Twilight gave a mighty yawn and slid to the floor, burying her head in her pillow. She faintly heard the message burn up and whisk out the window. The last thing she heard before falling asleep was Spike calling her name.

XxXxX

_This fog again? Wait…this place, I know this place. I'm dreaming!_

Twilight found herself wandering in the fog once again. This time, however, she couldn't hear anything. Instead, she simply "felt" someone nearby. Wandering through the fog, she noticed a shadowy figure in the distance.

"Blossom?" The figure turned to face her. Sure enough, it was the same pink eyes from before. The figure stood up and walked through the fog. Tonight, it seemed that the fog wasn't quite as thick. It took a moment, but the wary expression Blossom wore faded, replaced by a slight smile.

"Twilight Sparkle? You're here again," Twilight nodded, taking a step nearer. Blossom took a step back and the fog thickened, her smile vanishing.

"Oh sorry! Um…I figured out where we are. This is a dream, isn't it?" Blossom nodded, putting her hands on her hips.

"That's right," Blossom narrowed her eyes, "How is that though? Why are you in my dream?" Twilight blinked and looked around.

_Her dream? Am I in her dream?_

"I…didn't know this was your dream. I thought it was mine," Blossom seemed confused. Their eyes were locked, in an almost hypnotic trance. Blossom's expression softened. The fog was getting thinner.

"You aren't with him, are you?" Twilight cocked her head.

"Who?" Blossom opened her mouth to respond. Suddenly, the fog began to get thicker. The tension from the night before returned, grasping Twilight's chest. Blossom's…nub flew to her chest.

_She can feel it too!_

"No, I'm not ready yet…she isn't with him…" Blossom muttered, a look of pain on her face. She swallowed and looked Twilight in the eye. Her eyes were the only thing still visible through the fog, "Tomorrow night…if you're here…" The rest of her words were drowned out by the rising silence. Twilight tried to say something, anything, but the fog closed up around them.

"Blossom! Blossom!" The fog started to turn to black. Twilight struggled to get through, but a blinding flash of light paralyzed her. With a vicious tug, she was pulled out of the dream once more.

_**To be continued**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Long Drive (Part 3)**

Twilight wakes in her room after another odd dream, only to find two letters lying nearby. How did she get to her room and when did she fall asleep? These questions are quickly pushed to the back of her mind.

Did Princess Luna have an answer to her questions? Was Blossom real? The last dream certainly seemed to point in that direction. If she was on to something, maybe she could ask Princess Luna more personally at their meeting tonight?

**Part 3: Dreams of Another World**

"That was embarrassing…how in the world did Spike manage to get me into bed?" Twilight lightly kisses the sleeping dragon's cheek and trots quietly down stairs, letters in tow. Was it an effect of the dream magic? Setting a tea kettle on the stove, Twilight sat back and opened the first letter.

_Dear Twilight Sparkle,_

_We are pleased to hear that the spell was a success! Of course, We had no doubt in thine capabilities, We knew thou wouldst succeed! In regards to thine dream, it is a funny thing. You see, dreams take on many forms, some fanciful, but others prophetic. It is a dream magicians duty to learn the different types of dreams._

_In thine scenario, it is Our belief that thine dream leaned more to the latter. Perhaps not prophetic in a strict sense, but certainly not a mindless fancy. More interesting is thine realization within the dream of thine state. Lucidity is a rare trait in a dreamer._

Twilight paused to turn the stove off and pour a cup of tea. The Princess was so long-winded! She couldn't help grinning; it was a rather endearing trait. Sipping her tea and nodding in satisfaction, Twilight found her place in the letter.

_Our apologies for this letter arriving late, has thou had another dream since thine last letter? If so, We eagerly wait to hear about it! We request that you fill Us in on the details this evening, so that We may further aid in thine interpretation._

_Again, We are sincerely and deeply proud of you, Twilight! We have high hopes for thine studies and hope the day treats you well so that you may be in good spirits for Our night and lessons! Until the sun sets and We see you again._

_Thine Princess, _

_Luna_

Twilight finished her tea and folded the letter up. She was definitely in good spirits. Her eyes fell on the second letter, which bore Princess Luna's seal. Had she sent a second letter to the Princess? Her memories of the previous night were foggy. She recalled coming home and working around the library with Spike. Then…she just woke up in her bed.

"I'm sure I told Spike to send a second letter, but what was it?" Twilight opened the second letter and started on her second cup of tea.

_Dear Twilight Sparkle,_

_What is a dream? What brought on this curiosity? Nevermind, We are more than happy to explain Our realm to Our student._

_Dreams are a deeper state of consciousness experienced by the mind, but created by, and enriched by, the Heart. In this state, ponies experience visions brought on by their waking, but subconscious feelings. Anger, sorrow, despair, fear…joy, lust, excitement. _

_For most, these visions are purely imaginary, serving to entertain the mind at rest. In other cases, these visions are influenced by external sources. We shall fully explain these sources to you as thine lessons continue, but for now, We shall leave it as this: for some ponies, dreams are a window not into the future, but into the hearts of others._

_Does this answer thine inquiry? If not, We shall explain further this evening._

_Thine Princess,_

_Luna_

Twilight rolled up the last letter and made her way to the bathroom, cleaning up for the day, and night, ahead. A window to another pony's heart? Did that mean that Fluttershy and Angel's hearts connected the night before she found him?

"It's not so prophetic that way…which, I suppose makes more sense," Twilight shuddered, she wasn't about to go down that road again. She'd frustrated herself enough trying to figure out Pinkie Sense, adding another prophetic theory to the mix didn't sound fun at all.

Her morning routine completed, Twilight grabbed her textbook on Dreams and lounged in the lobby, trying to brush up on whatever topics she and Luna might cover later.

It was a regular, boring day for the most part. When Spike woke up, the two worked on rearranging the fiction section. There were a few customers here and there, but the library never really bustled with activity. Twilight simply glided through the day until mid afternoon when Cheerilee stopped by for a visit.

"Oh hello, Cheerilee! How can I help you today?" The school teacher beamed, returning a small stack of books.

"I finally finished that book you recommended. You were right, Twilight, it was quite the page turner!" Twilight snatched the books with her magic, handing them to Spike while she and Cheerilee talked about the latter's students.

"I'm sure Applejack was thrilled to hear about that!" Twilight said with a laugh, as Cheerilee finished telling a story that involved the Cutie Mark Crusaders, six pounds of raspberry jam, a super-sized rubber band and a funnel, "I don't know how you do it, sometimes,"

"Well, teaching foals is my special talent. Handling that sort of crisis just comes with the territory," Cheerilee noticed Twilight's textbook, still lying in the middle of the floor. "What is it you're studying now, Twilight?" Twilight picked the book up, setting it down on the table.

"Dream Magic, actually. Princess Celestia suggested I give it a try," she explained.

"I didn't know there was a field of magic you hadn't studied yet," Twilight blushed and giggled.

"Well, Dream Magic is interesting. None of my teachers in Canterlot were well-versed in it. Only a few knew the fundamental basics, and even they didn't study it seriously," The two had stopped by the door, the teacher towing a new stack of books.

"What about the Princess?" Cheerilee asked.

"To tell you the truth, Princess Celestia told me she doesn't know the first thing about Dream Magic. I've been studying with Princess Luna for about a week now," Cheerilee tilted her head, curious.

"Princess Luna?" Twilight nodded and smiled.

"She created dreams and invented Dream Magic. She's the absolute authority on the subject…actually, I'd be willing to bet she's the only serious practitioner alive,"

Cheerilee beamed, "Other than you, of course!" Twilight chuckled.

"Of course, but I can only barely handle the basic spells," Twilight blinked and caught Cheerilee just before she left, "Um, Cheerilee, if you don't mind me asking…have you ever had a dream that seemed, you know, like more than just a dream?" Cheerilee raised an eyebrow.

"Is this something for your studies?" Twilight glanced to the side, smiling akwardly.

"Well, you could say that," Cheerilee stared at the unicorn for a moment, then grinned and nodded.

"Well, then I'm happy to help! It's the weirdest thing, I actually have had a few dreams that felt a bit on the strange side. I normally don't remember them though…" Cheerilee trailed off, "Well, except for this one. I was standing outside the school house, waving goodbye to the foals. Then there were these three fillies that raced off. I don't remember what they looked like, but I remember waking up the second they left," Cheerilee frowned and rubbed her head.

"That's all you remember?" Twilight asked. Cheerilee nodded.

"It wasn't a good dream…I know it seems dull, but…somehow I remember waking up feeling very scared," She shook her head and shrugged, "But, it was just a dream, right?" She laughed and Twilight half-heartedly joined in. "I should be going, it was nice seeing you, Twilight. You too, Spike!" Spike and Twilight said goodbye, and Cheerilee left, leaving Twilight standing in the door alone.

Something about Cheerilee's dream seemed off. Like, somehow it felt familiar. She had definitely never had a dream like that, but there was a piece of her…just hearing about the dream made her insides twist and her chest hurt.

The night came without further excitement. Before she really knew where the day had gone, Twilight was climbing a grassy hill just outside of Ponyville, smiling at the dark Princess of the Night.

"Good evening, Twilight Sparkle, We have been expecting you," Twilight bowed, pulling herself from her thoughts.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Princess Luna," Princess Luna's expression softened and, lowering her voice, she leaned closer to Twilight.

"It would…not be terribly inappropriate to simply call Us Luna, would it?" Twilight smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Luna. So what do we have planned for tonight?" Princess Luna laid down on the grass, barely able to hide her grin when Twilight joined her.

"Tonight, in response to thine letter, We shall discuss the nature of Dreams and dreaming, and then We have decided to teach you a spell that will allow you control over thine Lucidity. With Our spell, all of thine dreams shall becomes lucid dreams, ones in which you are aware and in control," Twilight nodded, missing the excited hitch in the Princess's voice.

"That sounds great! Oh, and it reminds me," Twilight trailed off, suddenly filled with sadness again. Cheerilee's dream filled her thoughts, "My friend Cheerilee told me about a dream she had…and, even though it wasn't anything very interesting, I've felt…like I did something wrong,"

"What do you mean, Twilight?" Luna asked softly.

"Every time I think about the dream, I feel so sad. It's like…" She blushed, it sounded so stupid but, "It feels like my heart is hurting. But it was her dream. And it wasn't even that sad. She was just waving goodbye to some of her students," Princess Luna nodded, looking up at the starry night sky.

"That…is intriguing, Twilight Sparkle,"

"Just Twilight, please," It was the Princess's turn to blush.

"Yes, Twilight…thou felt something from another pony's dream because, in some way, thou art connected to the dream," Luna looked at Twilight, but for a moment, Twilight got the feeling it wasn't her Luna saw. There was a glimmer in the Princess's eyes.

"How?" Princess Luna shook her head.

"We should not speak of it at this time. Know this though, Twilight, this feeling you have felt may or may not have necessarily been yours," Twilight blinked in confusion. Princess Luna cleared her throat and with a deep blue glow from her horn, a series of images appeared in the air. As she spoke, the images changed to illustrate her story.

"Now, Twilight, thou inquired about the nature of dreams. We shall give you a…basic explanation. Dreams were not something we created from necessity. No, dreams were something We created to…perhaps entice ponies to find something to enjoy in Our night," Luna frowned. Twilight frowned and nudged her princess. Luna smiled, relaxing visibly.

"When a pony sleeps, the mind is at rest. We created a magical plane to which the Heart can escape and entertain the mind by reflecting its true, sincere emotions. Whatever a pony feels strongest, the Heart reflects into a Dream."

"At first, all Dreams were happy, but pointless little distractions. As We fell into darkness, We changed the nature of Dreams so that anxieties, insecurities, fears, and the like could also be reflected. It was…not Our most benevolent moment," Twilight nodded.

"When We were most distressed, We changed the nature of dreams so that, in rare occasions, usually magically wrought, two Hearts could unite through a single dream. Our intention was that this could help ponies understand one another on a more intimate level…its original intention failed," Twilight folded her ears back.

"You wanted…to dream with Princess Celestia?" she whispered. Princess Luna nodded. Her eyes were misted over.

"Due to our…schedules, our sleeping cycles never aligned. We never had a chance to share Our Heart with that of Our sister," Twilight hesitated for a moment, but overcame her anxiety and rested her head on Luna's neck.

"I'm sorry, Luna," Princess Luna chuckled and shook her head.

"Thou need not feel sorry for Us, Twilight…Nightmare Moon was a prison of Our own design. And anyway, this discussion is neither here nor now," The two rose and Luna drew a glyph in the air.

"This is the spell thou shalt practice until our next meeting. What of thine dream last night, Twilight?" Twilight memorized the formula in the glyph, it was almost as basic as the previous spell.

"I was in the same place…the same fog, and I found her again," Luna frowned.

"Did anything strange happen?" Twilight shook her head, but then paused.

"She said 'You're not with him.' That's when I woke up," Luna nodded. Twilight noted that she looked conflicted. The unicorn was surprised when the Princess leaned in closer, giving her an awkward, but sincere hug.

"Thou shalt surely have a similar dream tonight, Twilight. Let Us know what more you learn when you wake," Twilight nodded and opened her mouth to respond. Instead, she was suddenly wracked with fatigue, a noise like a cross between a yelp and a yawn escaping her lips.

"Twilight? Twilight!" Princess Luna braced Twilight as she fell forward. The last thing she remembered before succumbing to sleep was the scent of the Princess's coat and the distant sound of her voice.

XxXxX

_I'm back!_

Twilight recognized the dream on sight now. It was strange though, somehow the fog didn't seem nearly as thick. If she looked hard enough, Twilight could almost see some kind of…city in the distance. She turned and looked behind her, shocked at what she found. In the distance…it was Canterlot! She could easily make out the castle.

_I'm between Canterlot and some other city…maybe that's where Blossom is?_

Twilight made her way into the fog, toward the mystery city. She had barely gone a few steps before she heard footsteps approaching.

"Blossom?" She called.

"Twilight! I thought I'd never find you," Blossom stepped through the fog. For the first time, Twilight managed to get a nice, clear look at her. She had long red hair, pink eyes, and walked on her hind legs. It was a strange sight, but Twilight had definitely seen stranger. She smiled and trotted closer. Judging by Blossom's expression, she must have been thinking on the same lines.

"You tried to tell me something last night. You said I wasn't with him, who did you mean?" Twilight asked bluntly. Blossom blinked then laughed.

"Wow, you're awfully direct," Twilight blushed and coughed sheepishly. Blossom smiled, "It's…nothing really. I thought you may have been someone else, or at least working for Him. He's…tried to mess with my dreams before," Twilight gasped.

"What's his name? Maybe I can help! I know Princ-" Blossom shook her head.

"No…really…I'd rather not talk about Him if I don't have to…" Twilight blushed, ashamed of herself once again. "But I do want to talk about you! You said your name is Twilight Sparkle, how did you get here? Where are you from?"

"Oh, well I'm a unicorn," She gestured to her horn, "And, well, I've been practicing Dream Magic. I think I may have screwed up a spell and linked our dreams together," She folded her ears back, "I'm really sorry," Blossom sighed and shook her head, still smiling.

"No…no, it's alright. In fact…I actually prefer this to my usual dreams. Thank you," The two fell silent, at least until Twilight remembered the rest of Blossom's question.

"Right! Right, um, I'm from Equestria. I'm guessing you aren't though…you don't look like a pony to me," The two giggled awkwardly. Blossom shook her head.

"No…I'm a Powerpuff girl from a city called Townsville. I've never heard of Equestria though. Are…you from Earth?" Twilight blinked.

"Earth…as in the ground?" Blossom shook her head.

"That's what my planet is called," She smirked and rubbed her arm, "I'm guessing, by that response, you aren't from Earth, then," Twilight shook her head, "That's okay, I'm glad you aren't…" Blossom trailed off again, before Twilight could ask any more questions. Twilight noticed that the fog was lifting around them, or at least some of it was. Blossom was much clearer now.

"You can do magic?" Blossom asked, breaking the silence. Twilight nodded, her horn lighting up. In a blink, she vanished and appeared with a pop behind an impressed Blossom.

"Wow, you can do that outside of your dream?" Twilight nodded, beaming proudly.

"Yes, that particular spell is a pretty tricky one. There are only a few unicorns who have mastered it."

"Are there different ponies?" Blossom asked. Twilight nodded, explaining the difference between the strong earth ponies, the winged pegasus ponies, and the magical unicorn ponies. Through it all, Blossom listened with a growing grin.

"Wow…if only my sister…" Blossom trailed off, her smile fading.

"You have a sister?" Twilight asked, eager to learn more about her new friend. Blossom's smile became a frown.

"I had two sisters…" Twilight finally noticed the look on Blossom's face and mentally hit herself. How could she have missed that change?

"I'm sorry," Blossom nodded and sat down on the shapeless ground. Twilight laid down next to her, "You…said you're a Powerpuff girl? Is that your species?"

Blossom nodded, "You could say that. My sisters and I were created in a laboratory accident. But, we were raised as humans, so you could call me a human too, even if I don't really look like one," The fog had started to grow thicker when Blossom mentioned her sisters. Worrying that she'd suddenly be forced to wake up, Twilight scrambled for a new conversation.

"S-So um…can you use magic?" Blossom shook her head.

"Not exactly…I do have superpowers though. I can fly, shoot heat rays from my eyes," She held up her mitt, then blew into the air, creating a sheet of ice. Twilight gasped in awe, "And that's my special power,"

"That's amazing!" Blossom smiled and Twilight's heart lit up. "I'm guessing normal humans can't do that?" Blossom shook her head.

"There used to be humans that could, called meta-humans," Twilight noticed that a lot of what Blossom mentioned was in the past-tense. Just what was her world like?

The fog was growing thicker, Twilight could feel a distant tug in her chest.

_No, wait…I'm not ready to wake up yet! I can't leave her sad!_

"Blossom um…I…" She couldn't think straight. Her head was getting fuzzy. Without thinking she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"What happened to your sisters?" Blossom frowned and held her chest. She was starting to wake up too! Blossom bit her lip and struggled to answer before giving into the sunrise. Twilight heard her answer and almost wished she hadn't.

"He killed them,"

Everything turned black, then there was an explosion of light.

_**To be continued**_


End file.
